


Kuroto's Game

by Aiden_Ravelle, AnkhsAngel



Category: Kamen Rider Ex-Aid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:14:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25661167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aiden_Ravelle/pseuds/Aiden_Ravelle, https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnkhsAngel/pseuds/AnkhsAngel
Kudos: 5





	Kuroto's Game

Co-written by Amy L./AnkhsAngel

Emu was sitting with Poppy, Parad, and Hiiro in CR when suddenly their surroundings changed. They saw other doctors as well as patients all in one big room. Emu stared at the walls carefully, noting how they reminded him of a video game.

Soon, the group turned when they heard laughing behind them, “Welcome!”

“Kuroto? What’s going on?” Poppy asked.

“You’ve all been invited to play in my newest game.” He grinned. “And you better play, because if you lose, you die in the real world.” He pointed at Emu, “Emu Hojo, come with me.”

Emu looked around at the scared faces of the doctors and patients before sighing and heading toward Kuroto.

Parad growled audibly, his hands clenching.

Emu followed Kuroto into another room. 

Kuroto smirked, “You’re going to be the first of your friends to help move this game along.” He reached out and put something on Emu’s wrist. Suddenly large armor appeared and Emu felt himself lose control of his body. “Your job is to take everyone out. And when you do, you’ll be left in the game, alone, thinking about all the people you killed.”

Emu felt his body begin to move back out toward the room.

Hiiro looked at him, “Is that Emu?”

Parad froze, then rapidly pushed Hiiro behind him. “Emu? Talk to me, Emu.”

Emu tried to respond but nothing came out. He just began attacking people.

“Shit. Brave, get everyone as far away as you can. I’ll stop Emu.” Parad ran towards his partner, blocking him from several patients. “Emu? Stop this. Fight whatever is happening. You’re stronger than this. I believe in you.”

Emu tried to fight it but he couldn’t. His body just kept moving on its own.

Parad cursed. “Please Emu. I don’t want to hurt you.” Getting no response, the Rider reluctantly henshined. His axe trembled in his hands as Emu approached.  _ “Emu, please.” _ He sent over the bond. When he got no reply, he muffled a sob.  _ “Sorry Emu.” _ He swung the axe, clenching his eyes closed as he heard it connect.

The armor disappeared and Emu looked glitchy for a moment, the wounds disappearing, before collapsing to the floor. 

Parad dropped the axe, his own armor disappearing as he fell to his knees sobbing. He took one of Emu’s hands, repeating ‘I’m sorry’ continuously.

Emu groaned, “Parad?”

“Emu? You’re alive…” Parad’s head shot up in relief.

“I don’t.. I couldn’t control myself..”

“Shh...it’s alright. Where is that bastard? I’m going to remove his pixels one by one. Slowly.”

Emu forced himself up and looked around the room. 

It seemed like an hour before Kuroto returned. He smiled at Emu, “Seems like you didn’t win the game. Looks like we need a new player.” He threw a device out toward Hiiro but Emu jumped in the way. It took over his body, similar to before. Kuroto rolled his eyes, “Either way, we have a player. You’ll have more fun this time, I’m sure.” 

“YOU BASTARD!” Parad charged toward Kuroto, who backhanded him over to Emu.

Emu’s body began moving again, he pulled a weapon out and began attacking everyone around him. He cringed internally before trying to scream. His body was attacking innocent people... Killing them. Bodies fell to the ground one by one.

Parad let out a cry, jumping in front of the weapon. “Emu…”

Hiiro morphed quickly and took down Emu. Once again, the armor dissolved and Emu collapsed. 

When he woke, he bolted up and knelt beside Parad, “Hey.. I’m so sorry..”

“Emu..are you alright?” Parad’s eyes were worried.

“Don’t worry about me.. Just relax.”

Parad took a deep breath, then pushed himself up. He stalked toward the room Kuroto had come out of. “I’m giving him a permanent game over.”

“He’s the only one who can let these people go.. We can’t just kill him yet,” Emu argued quietly. He looked down at his hands, trying to push the images of him killing from his mind.

“If I kill him, this will end.” Parad scowled as he kicked the door open. “GenM, you utter bastard, where are you?”

Kuroto was nowhere to be seen.

Parad raged, kicking the door repeatedly.

Emu tried to calm him, “It’s alright. We just need to figure out how to beat the game to escape..”

“What did he tell you the first time? Rules, hints, anything?”

Emu frowned and shook his head, “He didn’t tell me much.”

Parad snarled. “We better talk to Brave then.”

Emu nodded and slowly went out to find Hiiro.

The surgeon was trying to calm some of the patients. 

Emu backed up away from them as a few shot him terrified looks.

Parad swore, blocking his view. “Emu, look at me. This was not your fault. It’s the asshole zombie’s.”

Emu shook his head rapidly. “It was still my body..”

“STOP IT!” Parad’s yell startled everyone. “Stop taking blame that’s not yours or so help me I will kick your ass.”

Emu looked down and took a deep breath.

Parad struggled to reign in his anger. He had to keep from stressing Emu out as much as possible. Once they were out of here though, Parad had a feeling he and Lazer might end up wanted for murder.

Hiiro went to Parad’s side, “So, any idea how we get out of here?”

The bugster shook his head. “Not a clue. And I’m worried Emu is going to get sick.”

Hiiro glanced at the other doctor, “Honestly surprised he isn’t already.”

“We have to find that bastard GenM.” Parad growled.

Hiiro nodded, “Until he shows back up, I’m not sure how we can find him though.”

Emu was leaning against a wall, looking around the room carefully.

“Emu!” Parad grabbed him close, his eyes boring into him. “Don’t jump in front of GenM again. Brave and I will take care of this.”

Emu shook his head, “I don’t want to make you go through that..”

“Just like my nightmares. Not like I’m innocent. But I swore I’d protect you. Emu, please.”

“I know you’re not innocent, but I’m supposed to help protect you too.”

“I can take more damage.”

Emu sighed, “Let’s just see what happens next. In the meantime, we need to see if there’s any way we can get these people out of here.”

Parad nodded, starting to examine the game’s surroundings.

Not finding anything, Emu sat down to think, “What kinds of things would Kuroto do? Is his point here just to mess with us?”

“That  _ is _ what he does best.” Parad sat down beside him. “Hell, this might be aimed at  _ me _ . He still hates me for what I did.”

“Pretty sure he hates me just as much.”

“Maybe.”

Emu put his head in his hands, “What if we can’t get them free? What about the ones already lost...” He winced as his body glitched slightly.

“Calm down. We’ll come up with something.” Parad went to Poppy’s side, whispering in her ear before doing the same to Brave. Then he attempted to teleport, vanishing only to reappear seconds later, slamming into a wall.

Emu looked up worriedly.

A few moments later, Kuroto materialized at the front of the room, a crazy smile on his face.

“Bad Kuroto!” Poppy yelled.

Kuroto just laughed, “Are you not having fun with the game? I can liven things up a bit..”

Parad scowled shakily as he rose from the floor. “Tempted to steal your lives.”

“You can’t beat me! Plus you’ll be too busy fighting each other.” He threw a few devices forward.

One snapped tight around Parad’s neck, causing the bugster to freeze.

Another attached itself to Emu. 

Armor enveloped the bugster and he swung a sword wildly as he fought for control.

Emu was taken over as well, trying to fight for control but losing. 

Hiiro quickly henshined and tried to stop them from attacking the patients and workers.

Parad snarled, slashing at him.

Hiiro fought the two other riders until Emu stabbed a sword into his abdomen. Hiiro fell back in pain before vanishing.

It wasn’t long before the room was empty, the pair of riders taking out everyone in their path. Then, they turned on each other.

  
  


Emu hated watching as his body betrayed him. 

Parad fought for control, feeling his pixels glitch as he fought. He couldn’t speak, the collar tightening every time he attempted. He tried to keep his sword from rising, but failed and watched in horror as he slashed Emu down. 

Emu struggled to stand, getting a final hit in against Parad before collapsing. The armor disappeared. He tried to look up, “Parad...?”

Parad looked at him in shock. “Emu?” A gush of blood spilled from the bugster’s mouth and his pixels glitched, then he fell face down and lay motionless.

“Parad!” Emu moved to him, sobbing heavily. He held Parad tightly. “I’m so sorry...” 

He looked around the room at how empty it was. They’d killed them all... Now he was alone. He moved and grabbed the weapon, closing his eyes and aiming it toward himself.

Suddenly, he heard Hiiro’s voice. “Emu? Emu, open your eyes.”

He looked confused and the weapon was no longer in his hand. 

“Hey Ace. Sorry it took so long.” Kiriya gave him a wave as Taiga nodded to him.

“What...?”

“We managed to hack the game and get you two out.” Kiriya sighed. “Kuroto’s MIA though.”

Emu stared at Hiiro for a moment, “I thought...”

Hiiro shook his head, “Kuroto lied. Everyone who died in the game is alright.”

Emu looked around for Parad.

He was lying unconscious on a gurney nearby.

Kiriya rubbed his neck. “Haven’t been able to wake him. Not sure what kind of damage his coding took with what Brave described to us.”

Emu sighed and moved to his side, tears in his eyes.

Parad glitched, then his eyes cracked open. “Emu..you’re okay..”

“Parad! I’m so sorry..”

The bugster shook his head. “I’m..the one sorry.” He began to glitch rapidly, arching his back as he reached for Emu’s hand. “It hurts..”

Emu held the bugster’s hand, “Just relax.. everything will be alright..”

The glitching suddenly stopped the same time the bugster’s hand went limp.

Emu let out a small sob, clutching Parad’s hand tighter.

Kiriya raced to their side, checking Parad over. “His human side is shutting down.”

“What can I do..?” Emu whispered.

“I don’t know, Ace.”

Emu stayed quiet and watched Parad as his mind raced.

Parad suddenly bolted upright, letting out a heart rending scream.

Emu stared, sobbing again. “Please.. please be okay..”

Parad fell back, thrashing weakly. He was burning...was this the flames of hell? His punishment for killing his other half, the bugster supposed. “I’m sorry, Emu…”

“Parad! Please.. please.. be okay. I need you..”

Parad heard Emu’s voice faintly and he reached out. “Forgive me..I didn’t want to! I just wanted to play games…”

“Shh, it’s okay. Everything is alright. Just stay with me.”

“It hurts..it hurts..make it stop!”

Kiriya cursed as the thermometer raced steadily upwards. “We have to get his temperature down. It’s 104 and rising fast.”

Emu nodded and went to grab medicine. He injected it before putting Parad in a cold bath.

Parad shivered violently, his glassy eyes locked on the wall as he tried to climb out.

“You need to cool off,” Emu held him down, checking his temperature again.

“I don’t like this.” The bugster pouted petulantly, looking like the child he’d once appeared as.

“I’m sorry, Parad. It’s for your own good though.”

As his eyes slowly cleared, Parad snarled “I’m so going to kill Kuroto for this.” He shivered again, then looked at Emu. “Sorry.”

“It’s alright.” Emu checked his temperature before nodding, “You can come out now.” He held a towel for the bugster. 

He shakily climbed out. “No, it’s not. You’re always taking care of me.”

  
“You’re my best friend. I don’t mind taking care of you.” The doctor focused for a moment, absorbing the bugster into him, “ _ Just rest.” _


End file.
